I worked harder at Hinsdale Central than in college. Granted, I moved to Hinsdale from Chicago Public Schools ( on the south side ). I was a straight A student in the city, but in Hinsdale, found myself getting D's. I put in plenty of effort attempting to catch up. Pretty sure if I grew up in Hinsdale from the very beginning, I wouldn't have had to work so hard.

My parents didn't want me to get murdered, so we moved to the burbs. I was a straight A student at Chicago Public Schools. Didn't even try. When I moved to Hinsdale I was getting Z's! I really had to work HARD to get my grades back up. The school was heavily focused on academics. The parents/family were very involved and the kids all wanted to learn.

The teachers here are great. However the students are very close-minded. If you are not very well off or went to Westview Hills Middle School you are considered scum and feel very left out. I believe it has a lot of diverse clubs and sports that excel in their areas. Overall I hope Central pays off for all the stress and loneliness it has put me through

Spectacular education that prepares you for the rest of your life. I was barely in the top 20% of my class and I currently attend The University of Michigan and am about to graduate with honors. There are some problems such as the "Hinsdale kids", but it is truly a phenomenal educational institution. To put it in perspective, we regularly have our middle 50% of kids go to schools like Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Purdue. The "bottom of the barrel" kids still go to schools like Mizzou and UIC. It is a truly great school.

Facilities are substandard, but don't be fooled. Hinsdale Central's results/reputation serve as a magnet for education-focused families moving to and living in Chicagoland. Especially those with talented, motivated students. Diversity is improving as interest in obtaining a high quality of education trancends race. Having four levels of course difficulty accommodates the needs of all students. Honors/AP are difficult for even the best students. The unusually large assemblage of very talented and dedicated students provides challenge, motivation and support in a way that would not be available for very top students and most other schools. The result is that the strong academic focus opens a wide range of possibilities for graduates. The importance of personal development through extracurricular activities and athletics is also emphasized. If you are looking for the best public education that Chicagoland has, Hinsdale Central is it. The biggest drawback is that while the high-expectation, high-performance environment gets results for most students, it is also stressful. Aligning parent expectations with student abilities resolves much of this problem.

A great school that prepares it's students for college and future success in every way from day one. My classes at Central were often times more challenging than freshman and sophomore level college classes. The teachers are passionate about what they do and care about the success of their students. There are hundreds of sport and extracurricular activities and clubs for all types of interests. As for the references to discrimination, I think Central is comparable to any typical high school. There are cliques and "popular" groups of students but racism is minimal if it exists at all. Hinsdale is predominately white and non-Caucasian students may feel out of place but those who seek to make friends and find a group they like will certainly do so. Opportunities for advancement abound at Central. There are 4 levels of classes and opportunities to excel and advance. Most students take at least one honors or AP class, and many have a majority of honors and AP courses. The guidance counselors are excellent and make sure that each student is taking classes that best fit them.

I lived in the ghetto and my parents found an apartment in the Hinsdale area ( which have now been demolished ). The Hinsdale School system really saved my life! I was a straight A student in the city. In Hinsdale I was getting Z's! The CPS is THAT BAD. My teachers cared, the parents cared, and the students wanted to learn. Honestly, I worked harder at Hinsdale Central than college!

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